Grain-roller.



No. 635,642. Patented oct. 24, |899.

E. BERG. n

GRAIN' noLLEn.

(Application filed. Nov. 19, 1898.) (No Model.)

W/TNESSES A TTOHNE Y S.

NiTnD STATES EMANEL BERG, OF WOODLAND, CALIFORNIA.

G RAIN-ROLLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,642, dated October24, 1899.

Application filed November 19, 1898. Serial No. 696,883. (No model-l T0@ZZ zul/1,077@ it 'may concern.'

Be it known that I, EMANUEL BERG, of Woodland, in the county of Yolo andState of California, have invented a new and Improved Grain-Roller, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine through the medium ofwhich grain may be bent over quite close to the ground while growingwithout injury to the roots of the grain and Without interfering withthe development of the heads of the grain.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine for thepurpose above described that will be exceedingly effective and that maybe simply and dnrably constructed.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will bc hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 2 is aside elevation, aportion of the machine being broken away and in section; and Fig. 3 is adetail edge View of the caster-wheel for the machine.

On the Pacific coast much money is frequently lost by reason of theexceedingly strong winds blowing lfrom the northwest during the monthsof April, May, June, and July, which winds destroy the standing grain bybreaking off the heads or beating the kernels out from the heads. Theprime object of my invention is to provide a machine that will roll thegrain down to or near the ground without breaking the grain at the rootsand without interfering with the growth of the grain or its maturingproperly. The grain being thus practically leveled witho ut injury willnot be injured by the above-mentioned severe wind-storms.

In' the preferred form of the device a forward transverse beam A isemployed, and an arm 10 is forwardly and downwardly projected from eachend of said beam, the forward ends of the arms 10 being connected by afront bar 10, the said arms 10 constituting bearings for an axle 11,upon which supporting-wheels 12 are secured within the frame formed bythe beam A, arms l0, and front bar 10a. The axle 1l is adapted to carrya roller 13, and the ends of the roller are between the wheels l2. Theroller 13 is of such diameter that at all times it will be a fixeddistance from the ground, but near enough to the ground to roll down thestanding grain and yet not break the grain and dislodge the kernels fromthe heads or dislodge the roots of the grain.

A center beam 14 is attached to the forward cross-beam A at or near thecentral portion of the latter, and the central or draft beam 14 isusually strengthened` at its forward end by braces 15, as shownparticularly in Fig. 1. A doubletree 16 is preferably pivoted upon thebottom portion of the main or draft beam 14 near its rear end, since theteam employed to draw the machine faces the roller 13.

A caster-wheel 17 is located at the rear end of the machine, whichcaster-wheel is usually journaled in a fork 18, attached to a standard18, journaled in a bearing 19, located in the draft-beam 14, and at theupper end of the fork 18a a wear-plate 18b is preferably secured. Thestandard or shank of the bearing for the caster-wheel is usually givenan upward and forward inclination and is provided with a handle-bar 2Oat its upper end, which handle-bar assists the operator in turning thecaster-wheel and also serves as a brace for the operator, since theoperator usually stands upon a platform 2l, located at the rear end ofthe main beam 14.

In operation as the machine advances the roller of the machine, assistedby the front bar 10a, will force the standing grain down- Ward to ornear the ground without injury to the heads or to the roots of thegrain, thus enabling the grain to ripen in a recumbent position andpreventing the grain from being injured by heavy wind-storms.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In a grain-roller, a main beam, a wheelsnpportedframe attached to the main beam, a roller carried by the axle of thewheels and of less diameter than said Wheels, whereby IOO it will beheld out of contact with the surface over which the machine is to bedrawn, a draft device attached to the main beam at the rear of the mainbeam, and a easter-Wheel provided with an attached hand-bar journaled inthe main beam at the rear of the draft device, as and for the purposeset forth.

2. A grain-roller, comprising a rectangular frame having its front barin a lower frame than its rear bar, a wheel at each end of the frame andsupporting the same, a roller mounted in the frame so as to be out ofcontact With the surface of the ground, a rearwardly-extendingdraft-beam secured to the frame, a caster-Wheel supporting the end ofsaid beam, and a draft device carried by the

